


The Art of War

by Dunuelos



Series: Harry Potter, Lone Traveler [88]
Category: Hard to Kill (1990), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-06 09:02:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20288893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunuelos/pseuds/Dunuelos
Summary: I was watching movies last night. It's from almost 30 years ago now and, watching it, it wasn't that great of a movie (Steven Seagal's sense of self-superiority bleeds through in all his roles) but I could see that if that happened in a more realistic fashion that it could spell the end of the world.





	The Art of War

Mason Storm was giddy as he told his boss all about what he had caught on tape. He had been working hard in investigating organized crime and catching what sounded like a politician colluding with him meant that he finally had evidence to bring Calabrese and all of his thugs down.

He was not ready for the voice out of nowhere which spoke even as he hung up the phone. "Wow. You're kind of an idiot, aren't you?"

Storm still and casually turned to see who had spoken. The figure before him was non-descript. Although not a short man, the guy was shorter than him. He was wearing jeans, a white T, boots, and a non-descript leather jacket. The only thing odd about him was actually the man's accent.

Assessing that the man was not an immediate threat, he decided to brazen his way through as he evaluated the confrontation. "Oh, yeah? And why's that? How am I an idiot?"

The man rolled his eyes and said, "_He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious_."

Storm was taken aback. A quote from the Art of War was not what he expected. "I don't understand."

The man sighed. "Back a few years ago, I was a copper back in England." Mason's eyes rose at that. "I made the colossal mistake of underestimating my enemies. Just as you have. You just talked to your boss about corruption you've uncovered. It sounds like the criminals are people who are influential. How hard would it have been for his corrupt friends to monitor the enemy's communications? Here I am, walking down the street, and I overheard you without even trying."

Mason was feeling nervous about that – he hadn't even noticed the extra person. "I missed that – I'll admit. But how does that make me stupid?"

"You failed to practice what an old mentor of mind preached. This guy had been putting away criminal for forty years. He practiced 'Constant Vigilance.' You have not. Now, you fight on desperate ground. '_Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground.' _I can just imagine that any enemy which has overheard your report is now reporting what he has heard. Which means that your family and friends could end up like mine did – dead. If I were you – I'd move fast to secure your people. Now. Without delay. And then, when you are no longer on_Desperate Ground_, you can then wage a proper war. '_Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected_'."

Mason Storm took a long, hard look at the man who had intruded into his day. And suddenly, he knew that man was right. He had fucked up. Royally. "Excuse me. I have a few phone calls to make. And then I have to go move my family."

The man nodded in agreement and said, "Well, all I can say is: Good Luck." Mason nodded and watched as the man turned and continued walking down the street. Even as he turned back to the phone to call his Captain back, he failed to noticed the bright light behind him. When he did glance back down the street, he did note that the random stranger seemed to have disappeared.

* * *

Mason winced as the cut on his abdomen was cleaned. "Sorry," the nurse said in sympathy as she helped handle the immediate cuts and bruises he was sporting.

He smiled wryly and said, "That's okay. You should see the other guys."

She smirked lightly as she peered down at the wound she was cleaning. Suddenly, the curtain which they were behind in the treatment area opened and he saw two men in suits as well as his captain, who was in a sling. "Detective Storm?"

He glanced as his captain who gave a small nod. "Yeah, that's me."

The man in the suit nodded and pulled out a wallet and showed a badge. "I'm Agent Thompson, FBI. This is Agent Mulready. Due to Vernon Trent being a candidate in a Federal election, we have to investigate for any Federal level statutes that have been violated, in addition to local charges. We are in no way attempting to minimize your department's hard work in catching these men. But we wish to ensure that he is charged in Federal court as well to minimize any chance he could slither away if anyone interferes with the state charges."

"You think that's likely?" Mason asked curiously.

"No." The man's face took on a harsh look. "But he made a fool of a lot of people. And we just want to make certain."

Mason nodded. "Can't this wait until I'm done with the pretty lady here?"

The nurse hid her blush even as she continued working.

"Unfortunately, no. His lawyer's already starting to file motions and we need to present when the doors open in the morning." The FBI agent looked at the woman and asked suspiciously, "You're bonded, right? You're obligated to keep this to yourself."

The woman looked at the man proudly and said, "I'm aware of my obligations. My name is Andrea Stewart. Nursing license 272419. You can check for the records of the bonds I've signed with hospital administration."

Mason smirked at the sassy answer and then sighed. "What do you need to know?"

The man said gently, "Let begin with the night this started; the night your wife was killed."

Mason sighed again. "I was investigating Antonio Calabrese when, during a surveillance operation approved by my captain," he nodded at his boss who nodded in agreement, "I recorded his meeting with a man who later was verified to be Vernon Trent, Candidate for Congress."

* * *

As he spoke in detail, he ignored the woman who continued treating his wounds until he was only left with the need to see the doctor. When she made to leave, the FBI agents asked to stay back as a witness, as she was already there. She agreed.

When the interview was over and the agents had left, Nurse Andy looked at him and said, "I'm really sorry you had to go through all of that."

Mason nodded. "It would have been much worse if that guy hadn't knocked some sense into me when I was making that report." He smiled. "I wish I knew who he was – I'd take him out for a drink and thank him."

Andy paused. "You said he had a British accent?" Mason nodded. "Well, that's pretty strange. When I was trying to decide whether to stay in the UK or move over here, I stopped in a pub to have a couple of drinks and think it over. The guy you talked to sounds remarkably like the guy I talked to in the pub."

Mason was amazed. "He told you to come over?"

Andy considered that and shook her head. "No. He really just asked enough questions until I realized that that was what I wanted to do. That must have been," she blew air through her lips as she considered, "6 years ago now? I haven't seen the man since."

Mason was amazed. "It's like someone's talking to us." She gave the man a smile. She did find him quite attractive. His face became more serious. "I have to clean up my life, bury my wife, grieve, help my son grieve, make certain the department is cleaned up from the corrupt cops we just arrested or killed. That's going to take a few months. Do you mind, maybe, if I gave you call when I'm ready to live my life again?"

She gave him a compassionate smile. She took a piece of paper from a clipboard and scribbled out her number. "I think I'd like that. I'll be here." As she handed him the slip, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek and then withdrew quietly.


End file.
